Sri Lanka dismisses Netherlands for 39 in World Twenty20, chases target in five overs

Sri Lanka crushed minnows the Netherlands by nine wickets after bowling its opponents out for the lowest-ever Twenty20 international total of 39 in Chittagong on Tuesday morning.

Ajantha Mendis took 3 for 12, Angelo Mathews grabbed 3 for 16 and Lasith Malinga grabbed 2 for 5, as the Netherlands suffered ignominy in their opening Group One Super-10 match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.

Sri Lanka knocked off the target in just five overs for the loss of Kusal Perera for 14 - the biggest margin in terms of balls spared, 90 in this case.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was 12 not out and Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 11 as Sri Lanka had to hardly sweat for its second win in as many games after beating South Africa by five runs on Saturday.

It was a big embarrassment for the Netherlands, who made themselves proud for being the only associate side to qualify for the Super-10 stage after their remarkable win over higher-ranked Ireland.

They were shot out in just 10.3 overs after Sri Lanka sent them in to bat on a flat batting pitch.

Amidst the shambles, Tom Cooper was the only batsman who reached double figures with 16, and his brother Ben Cooper made 8 while the rest flopped.

The previous lowest total in a Twenty20 international was 56 made by Kenya against Afghanistan at Sharjah in 2013.

Five batsmen failed to score as the Netherlands, who qualified after beating Ireland in a high-scoring run-chase in the first round, were left embarrassed in their first big test.

Paceman Nuwan Kulasekara struck with the third ball of the match when he dismissed Stephan Myburgh, Netherlands' hero in the match against Ireland with 63, to give a fright to the Netherlands.

Mathews then dismissed Michael Swart and Wesley Barresi in the second over to leave the Netherlands reeling at 1 for 3.

Skipper Peter Borren followed in Mathews's next over for 0 before the Cooper brothers took the score to 25.

The Netherlands lost the last of their six wickets for just 14 runs.

Netherlands's previous lowest Twenty20 total was the 86 they made against Ireland at Dublin in 2010.